Some people like to knock prayer.  They write it off as meaningless superstition — knock on wood.

Jesus spoke about knocking prayer.  Here’s the quote:  “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”  (Luke 11:9 NIV)  Now that’s knocking prayer.  It begins with asking God; it moves through seeking, searching, and crying out to Him; and it keeps on knocking on heaven’s door until an answer comes.  There is a promise that comes with knocking prayer:  “it will be opened unto you.”

We sometimes forget that prayer is a two-way street — we communicate with God and He communicates with us.  We knock on His door and He knocks on ours.  Jesus put it this way:  “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me.”  (Revelation 3:20).  

Our society encourages us to be ready when opportunity knocks.  However, it is even more important to be ready, responsive, and obedient when God knocks on our door.  “Listen! My beloved is knocking.”  (Song of Solomon 5:2)

There is one other aspect to knocking prayer and that is prayer knocking (which is something like prayer walking).  This involves knocking on people’s door and asking if you can pray with them.  The response is amazing.  The vast majority of people say something like:  “Yes, my friend is in the hospital,” or “Yes, I’m having a hard time.”  One woman in Nashville, said: “Please, my eighteen year-old son is in a gang.”

After that prayer knocking is easy.  You simply bow your head and say a sincere prayer for the person (or people).  God does the rest.  People are often deeply touched.  Sometimes tears come to their eyes.  Sometimes they hug you.  They almost always thank you. 

Prayer knocking is amazing.  (Don’t knock it till you’ve tired it.)  “But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.”  (Acts 12:16).

Knock Knock!
Who’s there?
Maida.
Maida who?
Maida Lord be with you.

(And He will if you keep on knocking in prayer. {That’s not just a knock knock joke.})